So I reiterate here, the bill is dead. The story of this great city is about the years before this night. We are free. Hey everyone this is Ho Ho Hong Kong with me Vivek Mahbubani and my Co host who is. Muhammad Magdi, It's 2025. Yeah, we made it. We made it another year into this. Yeah. Oh my goodness, man. Like I. Would like to see like a time lapse of us like from the beginning, yeah. Now it'll be so the same, the same spot, yeah. Sitting at the same spot.
Technically now it's almost a week into the new year when everyone's listening to this one. Yes, true. And I believe by now all the resolutions that should have worked have worked. And the ones that are not going to be working, they're not going to work. Yeah, it's too late already. Yeah. And my, my usual excuse is always like, oh, well, we do have Lunar New Year. We can kind of get away with that. This is like a like. A such a little hack. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Typical.
I'm like, ah, this is Hong Kong, you know, we're not in the West, you know, all that stuff. Yeah. Sure. Yeah, we have the real new year, which is in two months. Absolutely. We follow the moon, not just whatever little sign calendar people made together. Yeah, exactly. So what is what year is coming up? Is it the year of the snake? I believe it's the dragon. Oh, yeah, we really, we should do some research before starting the report. Yeah, but we will find that so.
Coming up as the Year of the Dragon, OK. I believe so, yeah. But again, we'll, we'll find out. We'll probably tell you next week on the new episode of EVERYONE. Knows except for us at this point. Well, the question is, if you don't know, this is a good time to pause this podcast, so let's check it out. What year is it so I don't end up in the same situation as these two? Domino's. Yeah, exactly. Because also the the most important thing is that you either can listen to this
episode. Yes, always like I really I wonder or you can just solve that. Yes, continue playing, continue play like superior to us. You know where you're kind of like these idiots still talk and then don't you still don't even know what? I think that's actually one of our roles is to make you, the listener slash viewer, feel better about yourself. Be like, at least I'm smarter than these idiots.
Oh yeah, yeah, right. Let's let's be very honest with you, We we don't need to be doing this, but we felt it's time to get back to the community. Yes, exactly. You know, people every we see so many people who lack confidence. Yeah, who are so many? Yeah, where? Is your confidence. Yeah, right. Walking around town just going like, I don't know, man. Today is not my day. Yeah. And we were like, you know, let us take it upon ourselves. Yes. To sacrifice our own confidence. Yeah.
Nobody sacrifice. But more like share. We we share. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just like there's too much to go around. Yeah, exactly. You know, we're feeling all right, you know, like, and then we were like, hey, you know what, for 2025, we're giving you the confidence. So you take some of this today. Take some of the confidence, yeah, some of it can can translate on stage as well sometimes. Yeah. Like so last night at the time we're recording this last night
we did new material night. It was so interesting. I really enjoyed it because it was like we're do it like the audience know that it's new material. So I think they lower their expectations a bit, which is good. But it's also like, it's that confidence, like, OK, this deal bit is going to kill and then you go up, you're like, yeah, OK, well, that punchline is not exactly the right one. Did I say it wrong? Yeah, yeah. Did I say?
It wrong. But they were really, like, good, good sports about it. And I really enjoyed it because it's basically, like high level, like training. Yeah. It's like, you know, it's not an open mic when you're, like, going up with zero ideas. But it's more like, OK, I've been working on this thing, but for a bit, but I can't get it right. Do you guys want to help? Yeah. You know they help with feedback and having an open mind. Yeah. It's good.
No, it's a good way to start the new year, kind of force yourself on stable, you know, out with the old, win with the new kind of a deal. Yeah. Yeah. But Speaking of the new year, I I'm more curious before we get into that, the new material show, because I have a lot of calm sound to say about it because of your goddamn set, which was a new material. But well, I will explain that, yeah. Yeah, we'll see that in a second. But anyway, so your New Year's this year are drastically
different from last year. Yes, right. So just for a recap for those of you who are die hard fans, you'll remember that this time. So the new year last year MO had a gig. It didn't go too smoothly. Yes, you can. Go back a year ago and you'll find episode called I Dare You to Have a Worst New Year's Eve. Or something, something like that. Yeah. Yeah. And that's so funny. And MO learned his lesson. He was like, you know what? I, I, I found that a system to not have that happen again. Yes.
It's to not have a gig. It's. Not to have a gig. At all I. Would rather sacrifice the money, yeah, then go through the humiliation, but I did actually take any to the to see the fireworks that was really. Cool, Where Where we standing? Tamar Park, like we. Actually sat down. Dude, this is so bizarre because I had a friend, Marcus, he was actually running a party at the rooftop of Discovery Bay Pier for the Countdown. I was doing a gig at Four Seasons. Yeah, you're at Tamar Park.
We're all, like, facing the ocean. Yes, yes. Tim Chan's got his candy shows in Central. Oh, fun. I was like, this is insane. That is insane. Yeah. Yeah. It was honestly, it was so easy because we live in Shanghuang, so we just, like, walk down, walk to Tamar Park around 10:00 PM Yeah. And it was busy, but it was not like, you know, like crazy cramped sardines. So it's like still like, and we had like a little picnic blanket and like cards and stuff to pass the time.
And we just found the spot because it's just the two of us in Tamar Park. Obviously there's like the cops and the barriers and people are sitting, but it's not completely jammed because it was 10 PMI think people just want to go last minute, obviously. So we just found a spot like right in the front. And actually, if you get too close to the front, you're already like, it's not a good spot. Cinema, right?
Yeah, yeah, exactly. So we're like, we found basically a perfect spot, completely open to the whole display. We're hoping because again, if you're hardcore fan, remember last year and he was talking about how she went on IF the IFC by Shake Shack and turns out actually the other IFC is blocking the entire thing. Hold on, let me think The Shake Shack. Oh yeah, because IFC to. The right side, yeah, and the right side being blocked. Over there by the actual IFC.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, they'll IFC you. Yeah, exactly. You're like you no see. Yeah. So yeah. So this year I like, I also kind of want to make it up for her because I, I don't know, recommended last year for her. I had the gig. Yeah, and then go there instead. Yeah, you go there and her sister was in town and they both went and so fuck all, Yeah. And then so I kind of wanted to make it up to her. Yeah.
So actually if the the Tamar thing, like I'm like, we'll go early enough because if it didn't work, I would have actually just like gotten like whatever and like an expensive situation and just got her somewhere because I really want to make it up to her. So we go there, it's like 10:00 PM, and we just sit down like on our little picnic mat. Actually, it's not a picnic mat. It's stolen airline blanket.
People know that. That's one of my favorite thing, and that's one of my many uses of it. It's like, yeah, you can just have it as a picnic mat. Yeah, on New Year's Eve. Yeah, on New Year's Eve. So we sat on a China Eastern stolen blanket. Yeah, and I just played cards and Uno for a couple hours. What time did you get there? Like around 10:15, I would say,
OK, OK, yeah, yeah, really good. And of course, as soon as we sat down, like, people started, like, coming in so that the park where we are is now, like, completely rammed. But it's like people sat down. It's not crazy. No one is doing anything, like, loud or honestly, people are so civilized. And the cops are there, but they're not really bothering people. It's all just like, kind of still.
And then on the waterfront, people started, like, really filing in. Like people on the waterfront are like, really standing. And it's becoming really crowded. And yeah, like by the time the fireworks happen, you know the countdown is good because you have a joke about how the countdown. It's always wrong. It's always wrong.
I actually saw a video. They fucked it up somewhere and like I think somewhere in America or England or whatever, there was literally two different countdowns or two different buildings. Yeah, people like celebrated and then went looked at the other building. That's three more seconds. Ago I should have like 8 more seconds. Oh man. This is like you kiss somebody, Like God damn it, I got to kiss him again. Yeah, this is I can't do it again to this person. You also just feel like, you
know, it's the wrong start. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But yeah, the display was amazing because I've never seen it last last year again, if you remember, I actually saw it from the cabin. It was just like. The Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, it was just in your taxi. Silence in my over. Yeah, no. Happy new year from my over driver. And it was just all depressing. So this year I'm like, actually, I'm going to soak it in. And it was 12 minutes. I was really good and then we just walked.
Home you did the whole the whole wow. Yeah, yeah, we did a bunch of wow, wow, Yeah, you. Have to do. That you have to. And actually I posted a cute little video or a story thing when Annie's in voice in the background going. It wasn't a fail because that's about. Yeah, it wasn't. A fail. Just comparing it to last year. So that was adorable, yeah.
And then, yeah, we just walked back home like we were home before, like one, like not even 1:00 AM, like he's finished at like 12:15 or whatever and just walked back and it was really easy. What was what was your your first like? I'm going to wake up tomorrow and I'm going to do this. Did you have any of those? Was the first Oh yeah, I I wanted to not live, leave dishes in the sink. That was my main thing. I see watch. Dishes at night. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That was my main one of the my.
Main better start the year, yeah. You have to stand here like I cannot leave the dishes in. You have to start low. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Dishes in the sink like, make that happen, man. Make that happen. It's a bad habit. Plot twist. Now today we're recording on the 5th and yeah, there have been dishes in sink for the last two days. Yeah, So they're still there. Yeah, I know. I so. I did it that one time on New Year's Eve, and then, you know, I was like, no, this isn't the thing.
And then like, I think I did it one time and then that's it. Yeah, yeah, it's over. Man yeah, I'll be this way. Like also I I want to be like I'm doing my calm writing back, you know, finally next to my desk and everything. Obviously first chat I'm like no matter what, I'm going to do this and I'm still clearing my house. So therefore, what happens is that, you know, after you clear your processing, like where do I put this? Everything by the end of the day, it's like I'm my brain is
like Bush right now. I'm not writing nothing. Yeah, yeah, I know. But. Sometimes with the comedy writing as well, it's really hard because we know that it just doesn't just come right. Like schedule 20. No, no. People, some comics say like they do that and just write whatever that comes to their mind that I tried it before. It just didn't work for me. Like it was really hard to be like, it just feels like very forsy, like OK, what do I want
to write about? Like air conditioners and it's like. I don't know. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, I don't know. So for me, first of all, I got a gig this year, like basically for New Year's Eve. Very happy. Oh, nice. OK.
So is that the four? Seasons it was a family countdown party nice that I was hosting for them this year was it Indians or no no, no, it was a Chinese family OK and so basically I hosted their party around five years ago and of course pandemic blah blah blah all that stuff and they should be having me back as well so there's. Just like a rich family that just like, it's like a, it's not like it's a private. Party. Yeah, yeah, yeah, no, it's like private. Private. Yeah.
They booked the ballroom. They're like, wow. The Four Seasons, like main ballroom. Yeah, Oh my God. Yeah, so actually, if you go to my, if you go to my Instagram, it's actually the the Sheck family. And so if you see my, I put some photos on Instagram, they were cool about that. And yeah, it was only as I got there around 4:00 PM Yeah.
And I'm like, man, you know, let's get all this stuff to do this, man, 'cause I was, I was more psyched because first of all, they've worked with me before. And they were like, you do your thing, man. Sure. And any client that tells me you do your thing, Yeah. And I do. I will do double my thing now. Yeah. You know, you give me the freedom, I'm gonna go double down and everything, right? Yeah. So what was your role was just MCMC?
ING, But I also like thought of some games and everything, and I brought my computer and everything to help them do a quiz Yes and I've done a lot of these trivia quizzes where it's basically just the silly quiz that we do and as questions and we comments in between. So the first question was what is the first country to celebrate New Years due to the time zone? New Zealand. Yeah, Yeah. OK. So, so that, so it's always multiple choice, right? Yes. So because it's a Czech family,
I was like 4 choices. There's a New Zealand, yeah, there's Czechoslovakia, there's Czech Republic and then there's like like united Czech them, right? Yeah. First question, 11 people saw chose Czechoslovakia. I'm like, first of all, your tequila is really good 'cause you, you didn't even try to win this game, just went straight in this. Country doesn't even exist. Anymore. Yeah. And you're like, in my heart it is. Yeah. Then again, for all you know, maybe they actually do on an
island, right? Yeah. Paul. Czechoslovakia. And I'm like, oh, crap. That actually is before New Zealand. Yeah, like, yeah, here's actually the passport. For, like, all the intrusive. Yeah, right. And it might be one of the things that are like, yeah, you don't know, that we celebrated ourselves first before the rest of the world. I'm like, you know what? You actually could. You actually really could. Yeah, so that was really cool.
And the best thing is, like, I went to DBS secondary school in Hong Kong, right? And that family, a lot of their family goes to the same school. And that night turned out to have a lot of DBS guys. So obviously, did you do talks there as well? Did they recognize you from the talks? So no, they were a lot of like my age DBS people, a little bit older and stuff. Yeah, so I know. And The funny thing is, like most of them were just one year younger than me, right.
OK. Otherwise they were like 10 years older than me. It's like I just missed that generation, that kind of thing. And like, I go there and the best part is that for games, I was always. You have to and one representative out to the stage to play from every table. Everyone who came out except for one lady, it was all DBS people. Yeah. And I was like what is wrong with? You like? Yeah, you. Hate us what's going on Why do you like you know did you go to
rival school? Why is there one deal? So stuff like that. They were like really cool vibe. Nice how? Many people were there. I would they were like 24 * 12 and maybe like 340 people. Oh my God. Yeah, yeah, pretty. All the family and their friends or whatever. Yeah, that's the kids. Or whatever. Yeah. There were kids running around. It was cool 'cause like, I'm totally OK with like these family events where their young kids running around. Yeah. I was on stage hosting the quiz.
Yeah, these kids are just running around me. Like I'm, I'm a married around. Like, you know, parents didn't care. I'm like, that's OK, man. Nice. And I was egging them on. I'm like, OK, now let's do it counterclockwise. Yeah. Because like, OK, yeah. You know, all that stuff. So it was pretty good night. Yeah. The best part is that obviously the countdown has happened and that is the key.
Yeah. Now what I found is that everyone's got their own system of which clock do we follow by now in Hong Kong, the most accurate clock I've seen from whatever gigs I've done, yeah, is the Hong Kong Observatory websites clock. Gotta be they have. Those are the ones. Yeah, yeah. And then again, for someone who can't predict the fucking weather, you know I. Really like those are the ones who like keep looking at the sun and the moon the whole time.
They should know the real time. The real time, Yeah, yeah. You know, the problem is I worry is that what does ICC follow? Because we can. See ICC, That's what we're looking at. Yeah. Countdown. So. The problem is, is what if ICC follows, let's say the Apple clock or you know, the Android clock, and here we are going to Hong Kong's average drop. Well, actually our our phones obviously because they're all synced up now. But do can we access our phone like the seconds?
Yeah, you can, You can. OK, I didn't know that. Like what I'm saying is that I'm looking at the Hong Kong Observatory website, Yeah, which loads the clock on it and has the seconds on it. It does. So I'm watching that now. I was counting down the last minute and I was like, wait, we never actually checked. What does ICC follow? Right, right. There might be a one second discrepancy like 21. They will all look at the ICC, go like, oh, you don't want that
thing. It's one of those stupid things. So wait, you can see ICC from from window Four Seasons? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Was it like an open like that? Yeah. OK, so you can gas window man. Yeah, really huge windows over there. So you can see then the fireworks relatively, so I just a little bit off. I could not see because like the whole time I was looking towards the ballroom. So I can't really see what's going on outside, but I knew what the the the guests could see.
So I was like, I want to make sure that that is. Clear. So the guest is like the the the windows behind you. Yes, OK. I see. Yeah, yeah. So I'm looking at them, they're looking out the window, they're celebrating their hug and all that stuff I had. Yeah. So it's pretty so. Wait, ICC was synced with the Yeah? Yeah. Yeah, So you think it was actually the observatory? Oh yeah, just the right one.
Whatever. The observatory syncs to ICC because I mean they are so tall they may be on the top floor everybody. All right, we look up to you. Exactly you. You let me know, buddy. Yes, you let me know what time you want. Yeah, I'll tell you this though, the day I really look forward to is when someone fucks up these fireworks ass on a. Shoots one like, shoots 1 like. Yeah, just just gets excited does that or yeah, the whole building gets late.
So think about it. Let's say it was synchronized, the 12 minutes fireworks that we doing on the on the boat and everything, right. And there, let's say 5 seconds late, which means you started late, but people may not notice they. Oh, you know, that's how it is. Yeah. So then you know, like how at the end they have the crazy finale problem. Yeah, yeah, right. So cool. And like, and then finally it fades out. Yeah. And then that building is 5 seconds late. It's like, yeah.
And I was like, wait, what? What? That's the yeah. And the climactic, Yeah. Yeah and they had just like 1 little fight with supposed to go like the end up. Yeah like God damn it. Yeah, we screwed up. It's like in the newspaper the whole day companies are leaving ICC, then we can't be with we. Can't. Yeah, exact. So I'm professional. Yeah, bad fungi show. The Ritz Carlton decides no more. Yeah. Oh my God, they become like Best Western. Yeah. This becomes a quarantine hotel again.
Yeah, exactly. Yeah, fuck it, you know, let's go on discount for this. Yeah, so there was actually stuff behind like, because obviously we're on the Tamar side. Yeah, the buildings behind us also had like fireworks. Oh. Yeah, they actually. Have to like turn around and see and see like what are they up? To nice, yeah. Because the people in Kowloon obviously are seeing kind of a different show. Yeah, yeah, they're seeing this, but I feel like they probably had a better view because
they're seeing the full. The Hong Kong skyline. Yeah, yeah, yeah. The Hong Kong skyline, Yeah. But also there's fireworks on our buildings on the high, the island side, and they don't have fireworks on their side. Yeah. So they're probably getting a better show. They definitely, I mean like obviously Hong Kong Island skyline. Yeah, we have to iconic. You have to do that. One, but I didn't like yeah, because big part of the appeal for it for me is that I can just walk over and walk back.
Oh yeah, I wouldn't even bother. Oh dude, getting on a ferry and like. Fun. Yeah. Yeah, it's. Amazing to just yeah. And leaving the ferry or the MTR and yeah. Yeah, No, no, no, not happening, man. No, honestly, like it's one of the very, very, very few times that I feel like I feel kind of rich in Hong Kong. Yeah, one of the very few times. This year, like yes, this is this is my surroundings.
Yeah, yeah, it's my surroundings, but also like, I just walked down to this and I just walked home. Yeah, it's not a big deal. Sure. And it was just like, it's like almost like a dog walk for me without the dog. Yeah. It's like, oh man, this is so cool. Yeah, dude. And that's the best thing is like when it finished and the fact that you can just get home quickly. Yes.
Oh yeah, yeah, it's amazing. I mean, like also right now, because almost all of our shows are in Central slash Jardine House. And again, I just, you walk over like from Shanghuan or even like sign point or whatever, Yeah, you just walk over, do the show and walk back and it's like obviously the same for you. Yeah, yeah, actual central. Yeah, Really convenient. So yeah.
When did you finish the gig? So I finished at around just before 1:00 AM and of course, I, you know, you finish it up and I was having a good time. Like, no, actually my, my agreement was till 12:30. Yeah, I didn't have to do the closing and stuff like that, right. But they were just so cool. I was like, no, I'll stay back for bed because I knew some of them from before as well. Yeah, so we were just like hanging out.
I was talking with them for bed and everything was very nice, you know, and finally I left around 1 something, walked slowly back home, got home only like barely like just before two. Yeah. And you know, the whole wrapping up go for a shower thoracist, you know, you gotta and you Dev. Like I always tell people like the hardest part of these gigs is that that that having to wind down, yes, you're still on the adrenaline of. Course you're still wired, yeah? Yeah, you're still wired up and
it's hard because like. Because you've also been working since what, 4:00 PM? Yeah, yeah, yeah. So you're still. Standing up. Standing up you're still like, let's go, let's go. And then I finally I was like the shower wind down do some breathing, all this kind of thing and then I was like, OK, all right, it's almost three I can sleep but I was like, I am not waking up late tomorrow. I don't give a. Shit you don't want to start the year by. Waking by 1112. Not happening man.
Yeah, so I was like 9930 maximum. Yeah. And I remember that I woke up, I was like, I don't want to talk to. You're tired. Yeah. And it's like 9:30 in the morning. I was like, dude, I'm I, I need to sleep a bit more, but I will not wake up at 11. Sure. Doing this. And yeah. And just, I was like, fuck it, let's get, let's get it on. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So that was the start of my year. It was so far, so good. Obviously first day, everything went smoothly because.
So this is what I find is that on the first day you don't get new emails, you'll get messages. Yeah, yeah. It's so, it's so quiet, so quiet. I was talking to, like an artist, like agent, and he's in America, and it's like, yeah, yeah, let's schedule a call. And that was like on the 27th. Yeah. Haven't heard back. Yeah, yeah. It's like the next week, yeah. It's next week, Yeah. It's like, yeah, people just take a. Yeah, it's like the break, the one because of this week.
Yeah, Yeah. No, for me, like always first to Jan, and I write this in my notes every single time. First to Jan, I have all these. I'm going to do my comedy, I'm going to the gym, going to do all this stuff, and I will do it on the first of Jan. I'm like, hey, this is possible. Yeah. What? I always forget to factor in the second of Jan is work day. Yes, right. I'm gonna do the exact same thing tomorrow. Yeah, Rock'n'roll. I wake up, I sit down, do some work, and I'm like, why are
these messages coming in? Fuck, what's going on? I have to reply this after this, after. They want that. And I'm like, oh, that's why I can't do shit. Yeah, yeah, yeah 'cause on the 1st, no one's doing that. No one is doing anything. And I mean, I think it's really smart to give people the the 1st of January off because obviously a lot of people go out. You don't want to like, hate your work. Oh yeah, yeah. No one. Yeah, Impossible. You're not getting anything done
over there. No one is doing getting anything done. But also I think because a lot of people get their bonuses like at the end of the year. Oh yeah, the new year thing, right? Yeah, no. Well, like the regular new year too. Sometimes people just get bonus then like Western companies or whatever. So I think like a lot of people just take it and go on holiday, like like travel and stuff. Oh, yeah. If you're going to go in December, yeah, yeah.
Or summertime, because it's so that I'm hot over here. Yeah. Yeah, you have that. But I actually took the time as well like that, the few days off to catch up on some shows that I wanted to watch. One of them just came out as the You ever hear about the businessman Brian Johnson, who doesn't want to die? Oh I I saw the trailer where he was like trying to do the long life thing. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
I watched that. It's, it's actually really cool because he basically is saying that he, he's not expecting anyone to follow what he's doing. He wants to be the extreme version. Yeah, of that. And then people can just follow whatever they can from his regiment. The ironic thing, and I don't wish this upon him, is that he was going to do all the stuff. Yeah. And like, probably just die from, I don't know, like, like breaking his hip. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, well, yeah, they meant
like in the documentary. There is also a section of like the hate he's getting. So it's like a lot of that. I could almost every time he post something, I was like, I hope you die in a fuss. Crash. Oh. Yeah, yeah, it's like all wasted, right? Yeah. It's like, how can you avoid even that? Like the ones where it's not really in control, Like for example, do you walk in like a padded suit? Do you have body guys who are there so. No, no, he's not doing any of this.
He's not like, particularly doing like. He just wants to test how long. No, he just like wants to like like he's living normally flies and stuff. Like he's not particularly like, I'm going to avoid and see what I'm not challenging it. He's just doing the, the health stuff to the extreme. They're very extreme. So he's taking like whatever, 120 supplements a day and stuff like this. But also because he has so much money, he just has all this measurements like like test
stuff running all the time. He can detect anything at any time. But on top of that, he's going a bit extreme and doing like the genetic modification stuff. So he would just like fly to like Honduras or something and he would just get injected with like a new genetic. Oh yeah, they reason about it. They get get on this one. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So he's doing a few of those, like, and then the stem cells stuff that I don't understand. Yeah. But it's like, you can, you
don't have to do that. But then you can take the other side of it, like, which is the stuff that anyone can do, which is like how important it is to go to bed early. It's ironic, obviously, for the two of us who work at night. It's not going to happen, but he goes to bed at I think 7:30 or 8:00 PM and wakes up at 4:30 on the dot everyday. Yeah, fair enough. Yeah, Yeah. And then with the with the sun, basically, right. Yeah, with the sun. Exactly.
Yeah, Yeah. And then when he wakes up, he has to work out for like, I think 45 minutes an hour. Yeah. Every single day. Yeah, so it's the, it's that typical thing, like you wake up, you look at the, the you get the sunlight in you, your body's like it's it's time to wake up. Yeah, you do the whole sweating thing so that the sweat causes some hormonal change or something like that. Yeah, I remember. So it's like living like Cavemen basically.
But he's like, you know, but you know a lot of the stuff also, it's just like so unreasonable because. Does he have to chase his own food? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So he has like chefs and stuff to make stuff for him, but he also like a lot of them. He doesn't. Like, he doesn't eat meat, but that's actually apparently the meat thing is a ethical choice. He's like, this is not for health particularly. He's just like, doesn't want to eat meat.
Yeah, But then a lot of the stuff that he has, like like with this weird protein shakes and stuff, Yeah, that doesn't. That doesn't sound natural. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But. He looks really good. Yeah, you know, and he's like 46 or whatever, Yeah. And he looks like, you know, a 30 year old and he's like jacked and everything. So I'm like. I don't know, maybe, maybe, maybe like wouldn't be ironic if, let's say the way to a long life is that you have to do a
particular movement. Like, for example, you know, like the typical caveman thing who has the baseball bat and just like starts hammering stuff. Yeah. Yeah. Like maybe they find out some sort of Qigong thing where that's the way the life cycle and energy comes into your body when you do like the the circle movement. Yeah. Like in yoga, you have that circle movement, right? Yes. It turns out you have to use something heavy with the
momentum force of this level. And when you do like these circles with this stick, it causes the chi to come in your body. Exactly. And like the only way to get that chi to bounce off is to drag something like maybe be around 1m away from you, which gives you that picture of the caveman dragging the white foot by the hair. Yeah, on the floor. You know, and, like, after 20 years, they kind of like, oh. So turns out they actually knew the. Exactly they knew all along. Yeah.
And, like, Cavemen were not dying because they could have a long life. However, it was the natural disaster. That's the cold that killed them. Yeah. So maybe one that was so bizarre. Yeah. It would be something as stupid as. Yeah. It's like, wait, what? Yeah, that's what, that's what killed him. Yeah. So he's also taking like immunity suppressants, which is really strange. So he's taking that to also, I don't know how the science work. Yeah, but apparently that also
helps. Like your body, not. Fight itself. Not fight itself. Yeah, exactly. Because he's taking all this like random injections and stuff, yeah. Yeah, because I OK, so so from my understanding as well because. You you take that as. Well, I get immunity supplements. Oh yeah, you're the opposite. The opposite. You get more, I boost it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, he like weakens it on purpose.
So what I think is going on, because he's injecting so many, so many forms thing, Yeah, he doesn't want the body's immune system like, what the hell is this shit? Yes. And fight it and fight it. Waste it away. Yes. He's suppressing us. Who they are They they don't have enough to fight what they're putting in 'cause he's got to trust that what he's putting in is the right. It's good. Exactly. Yeah, wow, that'll be bizarre. And like, turns out you just
like dice from the common cold. Well, I, I will give you a few seconds to actually, you know what, let's spoil. Well, it's not really spoiled, but at the end, at the very end, like you know how like after usually after a documentary, they give you like a bunch of stats and. Stuff. Oh yeah, yeah. But actually, you know what, I feel like it's brand new. It literally came out in 2025. So I'm not going to ruin it.
But yeah, those stats at the end, after he's after the whole thing is finished, Yeah, it's really interesting. That's all I would say. Like, actually you can even like, just go Netflix and skip to the very end, see the last two screens. Yeah, if you don't want to watch the whole thing. Yeah. But I thought that was like, I'm like, Oh my God. Yeah. So that's that's cool. All right, I don't know. Like what? Nothing's what now? It's called Don't die.
And he's also like, he makes fun of like how he is like looking like a cult leader of sorts. Yeah, because he is now has a brand or whatever it's called Don't Die. Just like all over the world, Like people like, yeah, don't die. And then he like, goes on hikes and stuff. So. Yeah, Yeah. So far, it's like, you know, but he has a company, obviously, obviously. Yeah, so sort of money backing. Yeah, yeah. So some of it is like, oh, you know, he's selling supplements.
And then there's some, yeah, scientists, talkers like, oh, yeah, we don't know about that and all of that stuff. Yeah. I mean, I I really enjoyed it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. OK, OK. Yeah, I'm sure it was the whole business calculated thing. For sure. I'll have this company and we'll do this documentary. It's like the the whole Mike Tyson, J Paul thing is like it's all, it's all calculated.
But he also did say on social media that like a lot of people think he produced it and he was like, no, I'm just the the the subject subject. Exactly. He's like, I have no creative control at all over anything that happens in documentary. He did give them access to like his like older footage and stuff because he used to be like married and like fat and a corporate guy and he was just like, he was very, very unhappy and stuff like that. And now he's like super. Cool, I'm actually like.
So now he's probably going to go around doing all those talks. Hey guys, you can do it too. You know one of those. Yeah, his whole, I mean, I, I, I will admit I followed his social like his Instagram after Yeah. And like, I'm like, yeah, he's he's it seems like a pretty interesting guy. Yeah, just very extreme. But I'm like, OK, I can, I can follow some of the stuff that that he's recommending. Yeah. So yeah. Did you catch up on any any shows?
The Penguin, as I said on HBO, yes, is very good. I highly like the fact that I watched the whole season. I managed to find the time I was like during dinner. I'm like, we don't care, man. We're watching the show. We all loved it for Mom Gory and we loved it and the new one. I'm watching Squid Games too. Did you finish it? No, no, no, I'm only like the second episode. For me. It's so slow pace man.
So. Yeah, I don't know, like part of me is kind of going like, OK, because like a lot of the drama, the first of all, if it wasn't Squid Games too, I'm very sure everyone is turned off after the 2nd episode. Right. OK, it's because it's like it's. Like fantasy where they're gonna go with this new season, right? And the problem is a lot of flaws in the drama, whereas like, why didn't you just say that? And right, why did you wait until then to? Tell a lot of what did they call it?
Plot armor. Yeah, yeah. You know, you're like, of course he forgets to clarify that. And yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So anybody who's watched good games, one would know that first game where they have the red light green light, yes, where they have to move to green light and everything and I'm ready. I'm just like, why didn't you just from the gecko tell them like, hey everyone, when you do this, yeah, they will shoot you right, you know, and then like from the even before they get.
I feel like even just from the trailer it's not a spoiler. I feel like in the trailer there is a scene where he does do that. He explains to all those. Things, yeah, but like you could have told him way before. Oh, I see, I see. Yeah. Well, you guys told him when the when the pink cards came in, he'd be like, let me explain to all you guys. I've actually been here before and everything he didn't reveal he's been there. Yeah. And he doesn't in the beginning doesn't.
OK. And then I'm just like, why did you just tell him straight? Let me explain to the whole thing. And then when he says everything clear. Well, I feel like, and I'm, I don't know if that that would be the case, but I feel like it's probably like, if it's a real situation when he is like, oh, I've been there, no one will believe him. I think that's probably part of the problem. Hence why you basically tell them everything that's about to happen. Yeah, but yeah, but then when?
When? Because there is like cameras and stuff everywhere. What if the people from the game go like, Oh yeah, we're going to fuck with him, we're going to change everything? Then he looks like he's like liar and crazy and stuff. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, it could be. Yeah, yeah. That's like him. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. That just to mess him up with like, yeah, yeah. I mean, they did call him like, oh you must be like a traitor or something. It works for them or whatever.
That's fun. Yeah, a bit of that. But anyway, I'm still watching it. I'm not keeping my hopes up. I'm just like, yeah, whatever. It's really just what we watch during dinner, basically, you know, let's watch something, it'll be fun. Sure we do that. Yeah. You watch it with Korean? I don't. Know this time they dubbed it so the first one they did Korean with subtitles remember? Yeah I would only watch it with Korean. Like I think the dubbing is so
weird. I don't know like because like a lot of. It's obviously easy. If you're like eating or something, then you. That, Yeah. And also, pardon me, is kind of like I'm. I don't want to spend my energy reading these subtitles. Yeah. It's not that good of a show. I'm like, Oh my God. Like you know I need to see this in the original version I mean. I just find the dubbing like, especially when it's clearly like not synced up properly. No, they do a good job, man.
They do. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, I I ever I did some dubbing on my own. Yeah, I remember when I did the R3 dubbing, it wasn't a long scene, was a one sort of thing. But you have like, Disney, man. I mean, so. Yeah. Right. So you have to have it like literally their mouth opens, your mouth opens, their mouth, your mouth closes. Yeah. And they, of course, was right in the subtitle, the dubbing, the translation. We'll try to have similar syllables. Wow, that's. So interesting.
Oh dude, when I did that I was like, wow, I thought they just say the word that is whatever. Sure, right. Yeah, no dude, like these quality ones, they will write it properly. Well, back in the day, at least for when I grew up, a lot of the foreign shows would have so Beauty and the Beast as as like a very old show that like, my
mom used to watch. Yeah. And Beauty and the Beast was so interesting because they would actually lower the volume like so you can still kind of hear the English. Actually you can hear the real voice of the actor in English and then there is a louder volume in Arabic. When it's. Done. And it's very confusing. I think you just get used to it after a while, but it's like, it's very strange. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
So you can actually hear like, yeah, just the dumping is now in Arabic was like, yeah, but I can also hear, yeah, let's see. And then that's when it's completely off because literally sometimes he would finish talking and then the guy, the every guy is still going. Yeah, I, I think that's like the news you always have like, yeah, yeah, this is the CEO. Da, da, what did you do with this? This is what I'm doing. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah, like the the instant like translators for like the United Nations or whatever. Yeah. Which again, that makes sense. You can't blame him, man you. Can't blame him. Yeah, Perfect. Yeah, that's the best man. When I get like translators for certain events where I'm the MC or I think I do a little comedy, whatever, Yeah, this is weird, man. Did you have the Osland 1 and? I didn't get that one. So we had, we had one and it was like my first time. And he works with him every year.
Yeah, it's like the Osland night or whatever. But that was like, I tried so hard to like, not pay attention, but just like being aware of it was probably like that. That was actually the same show where we did the I did the ace joke and got a bad review, but it was awesome. I think also part of it is like, that guy is like right next to me and I'm trying so hard to, like, avoid him. It's like a smaller stage. And it was just like, weird. I'm like, like, I don't know what he's doing.
It's like, yeah. But there was like, yeah, like we the room was like 70 capacity 69. And that night, there was, like, at least four or five people who are, like, deaf. So I'm like, OK, that's great. They can actually. But then they're also laughing. And like, you know, their timing is obviously not clearly not their fault. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But like, you know, by the time they get it, and I had already kind of moved on to the next thing.
So the people who can regularly here are now on a different page. And he is, like, the translation. Yeah. It's. Very hard. I honestly if it's up to me, I would do it a different way. I would probably try to if I have the capacity, I would do like a I don't even know how you do that. Like your own little screen so only they can see it, not everyone else. Right, they're in a separate
room like that, so doesn't. No, maybe like, you know, I don't actually you can maybe like a. What are they seeing on the screen? Like the translator. So the translator guy is not in on stage. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. OK, OK, OK. Yeah, exactly. But then the laughter will still be delayed though. Yeah, that's fine. But then the I feel like the problem is that like the regular, like the people who can hear are seeing him as well. And that takes like, that's
still distracting, right? Don't you think? Like sometimes I watch something on TV and they have that. Little right that. Little guy and I'm like, I'm also. Like my ads and stuff, I'm watching him. Yeah. What was that? Oh, that that's what that means. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. But anyway, I'm pretty sure with these types of translations, it's it's more of a summary. There's no way. No, Yeah, yeah. Like he had.
He had an idea. Oh, he did come to an early show like he to. Watch to get an idea to watch to. Get an idea and he was taking notes and stuff, so he had an idea. Obviously shows don't change much and like, he had a pretty decent idea, but it's still like this, like riffing in the moment, like that AIDS thing I was. Like, what the fuck? Yeah, poor thing, man. He was like, yeah, I'm saying this. Yeah, very hard. But yeah, like now Hong Kong is, I think, slowly coming back to normal.
Like in terms of like people coming back from the holiday and stuff. It still feels weirdly quiet, I would say this past weekend. Yeah, yeah, yeah, which is the first weekend of the year. We had a good show. I know you wanted to talk about the Yeah, the new material. Yeah, exactly. So MO came up with this idea. I don't know how he was inspired by this. He was like, new year, what can we do? What is new in the new? He's like, oh, I got this new year, new material show, let's do it.
Yeah. And so he, he told me. I was like, oh, it'll be a good way to start the year out there actually. The original idea for the show was. Was classic material new Year? No, it was more like new rookies and vets. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, I remember that that. Was the whole idea, But then a lot of the rookies were out of town. Yeah. So I didn't have enough rookies to have rookies and vets. It ended up being like a different. Or it could be like vetter and vet vet and vetter.
Yeah, yeah. So, yeah, I didn't want to like the whole thing with the shows now is that a lot of them, a lot of the stuff on offer can look quite similar on paper. Yeah. So you just have to stand out of it. And we have now we got to a point at backstage when we do have our like, I wouldn't say you regulars like hardcore, but we have people like when you put a show out, people come, yeah, like because we just, there is, it's just a numbers game, like, yeah, yeah, people do come now.
So I have to make sure that they get enough diversity. And that's obviously difficult because we can't get to worry people in all the time. I would like to, but they're also not enough good comics even in the region. I'm sorry. Yeah. But like, there, there is like, you know, maybe like 10 guys I would bring in because just because that's how the market is. Yeah. Which means you really have to rely on the local market. Yeah. So. And then you have to keep it diverse.
So. Yeah, you're right. Like. And then we did the New Year's new. New material. Yeah. Yeah. New material. So so MO had me as the host. He sent the line up. I was, I'm holding. Well, OK, fine. I'm fine. I got there. And of course this is always me with the newer Miami. I'll get get back to my camera game, kind of throw my set and everything and I keep forgetting. I'm like, dude, like you haven't been using a camera so often. You can't forget. Like, oh shit, what's what's on that?
Yeah, I get there. Classic me time because I'm clearing my house and everything we had to. Yeah, you showed up like you're the MC you showed up at. 820-9829 Yeah, yeah, the show's supposed to be 830. I'm like, this is something puts in. I could set up camera, put all stuff. Everything's good. I look at my notes and stuff. I'm like, yeah, I remember. This We have a good crowd, too. Like we have like, yeah, 40 people.
Yeah, yeah. I was like, I was, OK, I'm gonna, I have the bit about the New Year's countdown thing, which we just did on the podcast. I had a thing about this, this mobile pen I got, and I'll be pretty good. I have this one. I'm like, OK, I got a bunch of new things. Again, they're written out enough for me to be like, I know
where I'm going with this. Yes, I'm not riffing, but not enough for me to be like, oh, this is where the punchline is going to be and that's going to happen, right? We can do that. I go out there and I start with stuff and my let me do this bit, OK, So if I feel good, I have that bit, I'm OK. I got a little little chuckle there. OK. And then the first comedian comes on. It's Pete Grela. He does a little bit and he goes
his new material does that. And then we get the second comedian, which is Mohammed Magdi. Yep. And then I'm like, all right, man, he's got to do 15 minutes of material. Let's rock'n'roll. This makes it happen. Mohammed goes up there. He's like, I did some checking. Yeah, I turned out today's crowd. You're all first timers. And so that technically means this could all be new material to all, you know? And I'm just like, why did you tell me that? Why did you tell me this is all the.
Yeah. No, Well, actually, yeah, I didn't. There's two things that I didn't, I think communicate clear. So when people are check, checking in, when I'm doing at the when I'm sitting at the desk, I'm actually I'm asking for this time just for my own. Like I ask every single show, have you been here before? Sometimes when they say yes, I'm like, OK, you know that drill. I don't have to say bar, bathroom, blah, blah, blah. So I ask that every single time.
Yeah, it just happens that last night when we did that show. I asked and a lot of people said this the first time. Yeah. So I'm like, OK, that's interesting. It's more like higher percentage. Than usual, yeah. And the second thing is that I actually I've completely my fault. I usually put a little message to the comics group to like this is a new show of some new
concept. I should have clarified what new material means, what I think it means as a show runner, new material in my opinion for this show. And I would have not wanted people to write brand new stuff for this show because that's that's convenient. We know that's crazy. That's don't even write new 5 minutes for a show that people are paying tickets for. That's I think for me that's foolish. Unless you're SO. Confident. Exactly. Go to open mic with that.
So my idea was like new material means a lot of us go, especially for Doom short sets, you have kind of a rotation of sorts of like maybe an hour, an hour and a half of material that if someone is a regular there, they have seen bits and pieces of the general. ABC. So I'll give you D today as well. Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly. So my idea was like, but there is also for a lot of us who have been having working out this newer material at open mics and it's not just ready yet.
I wanted people to take that material and try to work it on stage. Yeah, which is why I actually said to you guys, take notes on stages. Take a notebook or something. Take a notebook or look at your phone, the audience. No, it's like branded huge new year, new material thing. So they can't be like, why are people looking at their notes? Yeah. So what I failed to say is that, like, guys don't write anything brand new because I wouldn't want that. That's too much risk. Yeah.
I don't want people to be like, yeah, like people standing just like, oh, what's the punch line? There's no punch lines. Like that's not good. Yeah. So that's what I did. Like for my set, I looked at the notes that I have for open mic, So. And almost all of them are either stuff that I haven't done at backstage shows before or stuff that is very old that I'm now bringing back and like, trying to like, do like work it better because now I'm just a better comic than when I wrote
it like 7-8, nine years ago. So yeah. But obviously because you guys are familiar with everything I do, including the open mic, you're like, right. He's doing like this stuff. It's like, yeah. But it's actually almost all of it have not been done for the backstage audience. True, so that's some other venue at best. Exactly. It's. Usually at the aftermath open. On Tuesday nights. Yeah, so stuff that is not just ready yet, but that's completely my fault.
I told you guys. Yeah, because it's funny. I was in the back. I was like taking a break while you're doing your set. And I was like, isn't he the organizer? Yeah. He's the one that came with this concept. Yeah. But I'll be honest, this wasn't written specifically just for this show. This was technically new material. But yeah, this was a good motivator to be like, well, you know, let's take it on that stage. You know, let's not, let's not be like, fall back on this
stuff. Yeah. Yeah, Yeah. So I remember that. And the thing as well is that everyone had longer stats and you did have these, the more experienced comedians, yeah. Come do this. No, I wouldn't do that with like obviously like of course when you were guys, older materials. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I already start struggling as well. Yeah, exactly.
Yeah, yeah. And to be honest also I I really like how it turned out in terms of not necessarily the feedback, because again, it's new material, so it wouldn't be as hot as a regular room, which I completely I'm fine with. And I think the audience understands they're smart enough to get it. But I also liked what it did to the comics because, like, without naming names, there was someone on the show that someone in the room came to me as like, I'm so glad to see him do new material.
Like, he pointed at someone in particular and he said they're really happy that they see new material from him. Yeah. Because I'm like, great. That's actually that brought that out of him. Yeah. Good. That actually means like, you know, we did something right. Yeah, no, absolutely. I think, I think it's just like with festivals and everything forces you. Like give me that hour, man. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. No, so definitely. I mean, it's a good way to kick start the year.
Of course, yeah, yeah, yeah. So yeah, come, come to backstage shows we're kicking on with not necessarily all new material anymore. We'll do that. Like I really think we should do that every at least couple of months, like once every eight shows or so. That would be a new material. Maybe you could also, we'll also start moving some of the smaller shows to Fagi where it's like a smaller venue, more intimate and we don't have to use the full
space of base hall. So keep an eye out on that You have you guys are moving the Cantonese shows to Yeah. So basically it's gonna announce. That yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So basically the move is happening with the candy shows gonna go the hive in Shengwan. Nice. Yeah. So we actually just made that move on the second of Jan. Amazing. Yeah.
So lucky for us, because it was our old place, used to be on Wyndham St. on that slope coming down, which means it's a headache to get a van and everything. So we got the move everything done over there. We it's the the show space is bigger at the Hive. Yeah, the workspace is smaller over there. So it was a game of Tetris trying to squeeze everything into the small shelf that we have now over there. But yeah, if you want to see Kat. So you guys have a dedicated little office?
There's a so it used to be a small office which Tim Chan used to work and everything. Now it's a common space, but a dedicated desk. Ah, I see. Yeah, yeah, OK. So you have other people around you? Yes, I used to be a. Member of the hype before Yeah, No. No, I, oh, I mean, because the, the, the private office is way better, but it is what it is, you know, you can do that. So that'll be happening over here.
So this year should be exciting. I'll be going to Melbourne and do my Australia tour in April. Yeah, for the whole month of April, I'll be doing that. Yeah. So I'll be working on all that stuff. And for anyone else who was at the show last night, yeah, I talked about this Mont Blanc experience that I have where I have a Mont Blanc pen. It is a 100% true experience where someone give me a blonde pen and now I'm screwed because I have to buy expensive refills. I'm like God damn it.
Can you you can just sell it on carousel? Yeah, but you know, one of the I really bought the refills. Now I'm like I. Know okay yeah but then you're like what spending 140 hundred fifty that's. Crazy. Yeah, I was like, how much? Is it? Yeah. But you're not even like a guy who's like, you know, you're not signing cheques and you know. I'm not, I'm not, I'm not wearing a suit table. You use my pen. I'm not doing that. Especially only I'm seeing the pen. I'm like ah.
Honestly I would say is just sell it. Ah, I'll see. I don't know. We'll see. So far. I'll probably use it. We can. Also, you can use it for another year and then give it away to our Patreon member, yeah. We'll see. Yeah, yeah. Let me. Let me, let me finish one. One LED first. Yeah, Yeah. Then I'll think about how I feel. Maybe after that I'm a bit of hoity toity I'm Oh no I wouldn't. We can do a raffle. How about that? Yeah, yeah, raffle when we launched the the video snippets
and everything. Yeah, you can do a. Raffle. Maybe I'll give away one refill. You buy your own pen BYOP, you know no. You give away the pen and then people can buy the refills. I go to mom and be like, I get a Commission, buddy. You see this pen when you see this pen? Yeah, I want my 20%. Yeah, exactly. Oh God. Anyway, so yeah, a lot's happening. Hopefully this year I get back and do my writing much more than I did.
Last year. I mean, obviously, yeah, that's the tricky part sometimes with writing comedy, as we said earlier, it's like you don't just like sit down, like I'm going to write. Yeah. It's like, you know, stuff has to happen for a lot of us anyway. Like you're quite observational, yes. And your style and I have like a, you know, storytelling kind of style and both of them require experience to to for things to happen.
Yeah. You guys as opposed to, you know, like someone like Chris Musni who is like can just like stay in place and looks at things and you know what I mean? And then like drive from. What you see in the commentary, yeah. Yeah, commentary, exactly. So commentary and observation I think are slightly different. Yes, where you like for you, you kind of have to be places to be like, oh, I noticed this person walks weird. I can write a joke, yeah. Exactly, but Chris is one of my
favourites because he did not. Again, completely my fault. He did not know that it doesn't means new material. And he just took a challenge and just wrote pretty much entire new 50 for him. Yeah. And it was really good. Yeah, like a lot of it. I'm like, oh, shit. OK. So he basically, you know, since he was booked for the show, he's like, all right, I guess that's brand new material, which is so much work. Yeah. Like, I'm. I'm impressed and amazed that he managed to do that. Yeah.
But good for him. If you see Chris Musni in a poster, come check him out. Brilliant guy. We have. Yeah, we have a bunch of stuff coming up. We have touring comedians and all that. So check out Backstage Comedy. One last thing, patreonpatreon.com/hohopod for the new year, we're doing Patreon continuing on. You can send it to a friend and then people can can join us on the Patreon. What we do? That's right, patreon.com/hohopod is where you need to go. Oh yeah.
Sign in join. Oh yeah, When you join for $20.00 a month, the Tycoon Tycoon, you get one of these cool T-shirts, right? Yeah. You know, you see in the mainframe, in case you don't know what podcast it is. Yeah, exactly. Third time's the charm. If they haven't got it by the third time, they're like, wait, I think I know what this is. Exactly. Especially when you are like logging on to see Hong Kong. Yeah. All right. That is the correct one. That's the correct one. It is the correct?
1. For sure. Happy new Year, everyone. It's been awesome having you with us on this journey all these years. And we'll see you on a live show. If not, we'll see you here next week. Bye, bye, bye.